Influence of natural events on the concentration and composition of atmospheric particulate matter

A ten-month field study aimed to determine the contribution of natural events (i.e. sea-salt and mineral dust events) to urban PM concentration was carried out at six sampling sites in Central Italy (Lazio region). Four indicators have been used to identify natural events during the period of the study. The first one is constituted by the ratio between number of particles in the coarse to the accumulation mode. it is simple, cheap, and the information are given in quasi-real time, but the nature of the event (sea-salt or mineral dust) is not detectable. The second indicator relies on the chemical analysis of the collected PM by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and allows a robust identification of sea-salt and crustal components. The third one is based on diagnostic ratios of elemental fractions: Mg(extractable)/Ti(residue) for sea-salt and Ti(residue)/Sb(residue) for mineral dust. It requires skilled staff but it is most accurate and sensible. The last indicator. constructed on the basis of natural radioactivity data, is not diagnostic for the nature of the event but it is able to estimate the increase in PM concentration with respect to the expected concentration in the absence of natural events. The relevance of natural events and the variations in PM concentration and composition during the study are discussed. The joined use of the four indicators allowed the identification of about 20 natural PM episodes. In general, sea-salt aerosol events did not cause exceedance of the daily EU limit value for PM(10). Saharan dust events, instead, were in most cases responsible for the exceedance of the limit value at all stations. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.